Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

In the last two weeks Australia hosted visits from the Secretary-General of ASEAN, the Foreign Minister of Myanmar and the President and Foreign Minister of the Philippines. This habit of dialogue, this regular consultation, between governments, business and civil society is driving our closer engagement with the regions in the very spirit of what was outlined in the white paper. In fact, that white paper on Australia in the Asian century comes at a critical time in our relations with the region.